• Game Notes (.pdf)

CAL U (9-3) VS. SHIPPENSBURG (9-2)
When: Saturday, Nov. 21
Where: Seth Grove Stadium (7,000)
TV: CUTV - tape delayed
Live Radio: WCAL (91.9-FM) I WJPA (95.3-FM) I WSYC (88.7-FM)
Live Stats: Click here
Live On-Line Video: Click here

SERIES BREAKDOWN
All-Time Series: Shippensburg leads 42-28-1
First Meeting: 1926 - Shippensburg won 9-7
Last Meeting: 2009 - Shippensburg won 42-35
Streak: Shippensburg +1

CAL U NOTES

• Cal U enters this weekend following a 42-13 home victory over Fayetteville State last Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs. Meanwhile, Shippensburg earned a bye week as the second seed in the region.

• This weekend marks the second meeting between the Vulcans and Red Raiders in the last three weeks. Cal U has won three of the last four meetings after Shippensburg won 14-straight games (1991-2004).

• Behind a season-high five rushing touchdowns and an aggressive defense, the Vulcans earned a 42-13 win over Fayetteville State in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs. Senior running back #Freddie Bacco# scored a career-high three touchdowns, while junior fullback #Shawn Johnson# added a pair of scores. Defensively, Cal U limited the Broncos to only 217 yards of total offense, registered four sacks and made two interceptions.

• One of the winningest active coaches in NCAA Division II, Rocky Rees is in his 20th season as the head coach of the Red Raiders. He is the all-time winningest coach in Shippensburg football history with a 118-103-1 record and is the only coach in program history to win 100 games. One of the most tenured coaches in the PSAC, Rees has guided the Red Raiders to a pair of 10-win seasons (1991, 2004) which both resulted in appearances in the NCAA Playoffs.

• Shippensburg returns 24 lettermen and 12 starters from last year's team that finished 4-7 overall in its first year in the PSAC East. The Red Raiders feature one of the top offenses in the 16-team league, averaging 33.8 points and 388.2 yards of total offense per game. Quarterback Chad DiFebbo is among the conference leaders in passing yards (2,281), total offense (2,313), passing efficiency (146.5) in his second year as a starter. Senior wide receiver Mike Harris is DiFebbo's primary target and one of the top playmakers in the PSAC. Harris is second in the league in both receiving yards (984) and receiving touchdowns (10). The Shippensburg defense is third in the PSAC in pass defense efficiency and second in third-down conversions, allowing opponents to complete only 49.5 percent of their passes and convert 26.8 percent of their third downs. Linebacker Andy Casale (58 tackles), Riley Bowen (54 stops) and Vinnie Ranauto (54 tackles) are the Red Raiders' top three tacklers and have combined for 24.5 TFL and 7.0 sacks, two interceptions and four fumble recoveries. The Red Raiders are explosive and consistent on special teams. Return specialist Kevin Marshall is fourth in the PSAC in kick returns (26.2) while senior kicker/punter Kyler Ford is among the league's best with a 41.9 yard average on punts and has made 10-of-14 field goals.

• For the third time in the last two years, the Vulcans will face an opponent twice in one season. Last year, Cal U beat West Chester twice and split the series with Bloomsburg. Prior to 2008, the last time Cal U faced an opponent twice in one year was in 1984.

• The Vulcans feature one of the top special teams unit in not only the PSAC, but also the country. Cal U ranks 13th in the nation with in kickoff returns, averaging 24.0 yards per return. Sophomore wide receiver #Chedrick Cherry# ranks seventh in the nation 29.4 yards on 16 returns. Graduate student punter #Derek Fiorenza# and the punt coverage team has Cal U ranked 18th in the country in net punting at 34.25 yards per punt.

• The Vulcans have won 10 of their last 12 games in the month of November dating back to the 2005 season. Cal U won all four of its November games last season, including two wins in the NCAA Playoffs.

• The Vulcans have won 50 of their last 59 games (.847) overall, dating back to the start of the 2005 season. Cal U has also won five of seven games over the last three years in the NCAA Playoffs.

• The Cal U offense features one of the deepest group of skilled players in the region. The Vulcans have completed passes to 14 different players and touchdown passes to five different players in 2009.

• Senior #Willie Walker# has established himself as one of the top defensive lineman in the nation. A four-year starter and four-time All-PSAC West selection, he ranks second in school history with 30.5 career tackles for loss (TFL). Walker is closing in on the school record of 31.0 TFL set by Jim Lukacs (1999-2001). This season, the Aliquippa native was named the PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year after posting 37 tackles (19 solo) with 8.5 TFL and 3.0 sacks.

• This weekend's game against Shippensburg marks the fifth game for Cal U against a Top 25 team in 2009. The Vulcans hold a combined 7-4 record over the last two seasons against nationally-ranked opponents.

• The Vulcans have played three of top teams in PSAC East - Bloomsburg, Shippensburg, West Chester - this season. Over the last three years, Cal U holds a combined 7-3 mark against the three top teams in the PSAC Eastern Division.

• In his two seasons with the Vulcan program, senior wide receiver #AJ Jackson# has shown a knack for finding the end zone. Two weeks ago, he broke the school record for most touchdown receptions in a career. The Florida native now has 24 receiving touchdowns, breaking the previous mark set by Vic Shandor (1989-92). Jackson has also set the single-season record for receptions (82) and within reach of the receiving yards mark set last year by Marcel Pestano.

• The Vulcans enter the weekend only one win shy of earning their 10th victory of the season. Cal U has won at least 10 wins in a year only twice in program history (2007, 2008).

• In his first year with the program, quarterback #Josh Portis# has proven to be one of top dual threat quarterbacks in the nation. He ranks third in the PSAC in passing efficiency with a league-high 27 touchdown passes, which ranks second in single-season school history. Portis is also second in school history in single-season total offense after passing for over 2,500 yards and rushing for almost 400 yards this year.

• Over the last three seasons, the Vulcans hold a 14-2 record on the road. Cal U has also won its last 15 road games against PSAC West opponents, including a 35-20 victory in 2006 at Shippensburg before the Red Raiders were moved to the PSAC East last year.

• The Vulcans rank second in the PSAC and 21st in the nation in rushing defense, allowing only 102.0 yards per game. Cal U has allowed only one 100-yard rusher all season and limited Clarion's Alfonso Hoggard - the PSAC's leading rusher - to 50 yards. Shippensburg enters this weekend's contest as one of the best rushing teams in the league, averaging 174.8 yards on the ground.